New Jersey Commission Recommends Two Forms of ID for Ammo Purchases

Keith Srakocic/AP16 Nov 2016

The New Jersey State Commission of Investigation (SCI) recommended lawmakers revamp rules on ammunition purchases to require two forms of identification before a person is allowed to buy a box of bullets.

According to NJ.com, SCI also recommended lawmakers “adopt an electronic tracking system similar to the one used to monitor prescription drug purchases” so that digital records of ammunition purchases are readily available.

SCI’s recommendations come after a review of New Jersey’s requirement that ammunition purchasers show “state-issued firearms identification to buy ammo.” The ID does not contain a photo, so SCI is recommending the ID be changed to include a photo or that two forms of ID be required to purchase bullets.

SCI said that digitized firearm purchase records could be harvested into a database and reviewed to look for signs of trouble or to determine if one person was buying too many rounds of ammunition, stating, “By plugging into a searchable database, police could determine if there were links between criminal activity and recent ammunition purchases. Further, the database could be used to ‘red flag’ excessive ammunition purchases.”

The Association of New Jersey Rifle and Pistol Clubs’ Scott Bach responded to SCI’s recommendations by labeling them “a solution in search of a problem.” He said they “are based on the false and naive premise that criminals use ID cards to purchase ammunition in the first place” and said “putting a photo on a card used only by law-abiding citizens will neither disrupt illegal trafficking nor make anyone safer.”

A bill to require a photo on a state-issued firearms card is currently in the legislature. A second bill, also in the legislature, would require renewal of the card every four years.